Top 10 packing hacks for easy stress-free moving

Do NOT pay for boxes or bubble wrap – check out Facebook marketplace, your local supermarket, Bunnings and your own network – chances are a couple of listings, stores or friends will have everything you need. Reusing boxes is a great way to save a pretty penny with packs of 12 costing around $30-40 depending on the size. Just make sure the boxes are still in good structural condition.

Vacuum packing with garbage bags – did you know this was possible?! Buying vacuum storage bags can start around $30 -$50 for a pack of 10, but you can pick up extra strong garbage bags for about $4.50 at your local supermarket instead. Pop in your blankets and woolly jumpers, create a seal around your vacuum and watch it shrink down in a heartbeat. Tie it tight – and you’re done!

Speaking of garbage bags, use them to pack up your wardrobe – no need to take clothes off the hanger, group clothes together and tie an elastic band around the hooks to hold them all together. Then use a large garbage bag to pull up from the bottom of your clothes. Tie at the neck of coat hangers and you’ve got an easy way to move and protect your clothes. You can also use the garbage bags again at your new house.

Pack essentials in a basket or bag and put it in your car – you get to your new house, but you have no toilet paper, cups, phone chargers or band aids. Your essentials basket (you can use a laundry basket) brings all the key things into your new house directly from your car and not the truck. You can even pack a kettle and some tea, or some coffee and a French Press – what ever is essential to you!

You don’t have to wrap plates with bubble wrap – if you don’t have spare you can use all sorts of things! Left over paper party plates, a roll of blue multi-purpose cleaning wipes (they’re about $4.50 for a roll of 50 from your local supermarket) or junk mail catalogues. If you use cloth wipes, then you can use them again when you’re unpacking to wipe down any surfaces.

Pack frames horizontally in a box not on top of each other – you’re more likely to break the glass when you stack frames in a box. By packing them horizontally you can keep all your important memories safe during the move and remember ‘if it don’t shake – it don’t break’ fill empty space around items with newspaper, towels or blankets.

Label smarter – rather than writing directly on your boxes, label your boxes with masking tape. This removes easily and doesn’t damage the boxes so that you can pass them on to the next mover! Another pro tip is to write the room you want the boxes to be unpacked to in the new property e.g., ‘upstairs bedroom 2.’

Use your suitcases – they’re often on wheels and make moving heavy things a lot easier. Books are a great item to move in luggage.

Get creative – an oven mitt or tea towels are a great way to pack knives and scissors. They’re all heading off to the kitchen anyways so think about how you can transport things safely without having purchase packing supplies. You can also wrap glad wrap around your cutlery draw insert to keep everything in place.

Take photos of interior styling before packing it down – you’ve finally nailed the styling of a section in your house, it could be a bookshelf or a sideboard. Don’t forget to snap a pic of it so you can replicate it in your new property. It might sound silly, but it will save you time and brain space when you’re unpacking.

Getting your new home connected - When you are ready to move house and connect your electricity or gas, you can see pricing and schedule a connection date by viewing our energy plans.